Road-bed-washout signal.



No. 866,700. PATENTED SEPT. 24, "1907. J. L. WALDREP. ROAD BED WASHOUT SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1907.

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UNITED STATES JESSE LEWIS WALDREP, OF LILLY, GEORGIA.

ROAD-BED-WASHOUT SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1907.

Application filed Avril 1907- serial s To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Jesse Lnwrs WALDREI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lilly, in the county of Dooly and State of Georgia, have invented a-new and useful Roacl-BedlVasl1out Signal, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a signal apparatus for indicating washouts in railway roadbeds so as to warn the engineers operating trains over the road of the dangerous condition of the track bed, thereby enabling the trains to be stopped before damage of wrecking occurs.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of devices of this character so as to be of comparatively inexpensive and substantial arrangement, thoroughly reliable and eflicient in use, and readily applied to railroad beds.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a signaling apparatus in which a plurality of signals are employed which may be located at points more or less remote from the place where a washout might occur, so that trains approaching from either direction will be warned, such an arrangement being particularly desirable at ciuves where a signal device placed directly at the point of washout could not be seen from a suitable distance to avert a possible accident.

Another object of the invention is the employment of a visual signal, such as a flag that is normally in an unobserved position and is adapted to be moved into view of the engineer of an approaching train by means of weights, or equivalent devices, which are distributed along the road-bed so as to be operated in the event of a washout, thereby causing the signal to be raised.

With those objects in view, and others, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one of the embodiments of the invention, Figure l is a plan view of a stretch of railroad track with the signaling ap paratus applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the visual signal at one end of the apparatus in raised or warning position, as when a washout occurs. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the weights shown suspended, as in the event of a washout under the railroad track. Fig. i is a side view of one of the signal devices or flags shown in inoperative position by full lines and in operated position by dotted lines.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout by similar characters of reference.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the cross ties of a road-bed and 2 the rails thereon, the latter having intermediate portions broken away. Extending along one of the rails 2 for any desired distance is a wire cable, or other flexible element, 3, on which a plurality of weights 4 are mounted. The flexible element 3 is located at the outside of the rail, and is supported at suitably distant points on rollers 5. These rollers are arranged in pairs on the opposed faces of two adjacent cross ties 1 and support the flexible element 3 out of engagement with the latter. The weights 4 are distributed along the track at points where washouts are likely to occur, and each weight is provided with an eye 5 through which the flexible element is threaded, there being one weight between each set of rollers 5. The weights 4 normally rest flatwise on the road-bed in the position shown in Fig. 1, so that the flexible element is relieved of the strain of supporting them. In the event of the roadbed being washed out, the weights drop to a pendent position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to produce a draft on the flexible element. These weights are adapted to drop independently or simultaneously, according to the extent of the washout, the dropping of any one being suflicient, however, to produce the desired draft to actuate the signals.

The signals of the apparatus may be of any desired type and those shown in the present instance are visual, such as flags 6. These flags may be located at any desired point at opposite sides of the group of weights 4, either near the latter or at suitably remote points The flags 6 are each mounted from the outer end of a crank arm 7 formed on the shaft 87 The crank arms 7 are of sufficient length to support the flags 6 a suitable height above the track to be plainly visible to the engineer of an approaching train when the device 'has been thrown into operation by a washout. The shafts 8 are mounted in bearings 9 on the adjacent cross ties, and at the ends opposite from the flag carrying crank arms are short crank arms 10 extending in the same direction as the others. "he extremities of the flexible element 3 are connected with the free ends of the short arms 10. One of the flags is arranged on the right hand side of the track while the other is arranged on the opposite side, and since the flexible element is rotated wholly on one side, one of the crank shafts 8 is of sufficient length to extend across the track and the same is located under the rails. In the present instance, a single track roadbed has been illustrated, but the apparatus is readily adaptable to double track constructions, and in that case the shaft 8 at one end would extend across both tracks so that the flag carried thereby would be on the outer side of the second track, as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. In operation, the signal flags are normally in their lowermost position below the level of the tracks and out of view. This means that the road-bed is in perfect condition and that the trains can safely pass thereover. In case of a washout rendering the road-bed unsafe, the weights 4 are singly or collectively undermined and drop into a pendent position, so that the flexible element is drawn to simultaneously raise the flags. Trains approaching in either direction are thus warned that the track is unsafe, so that they can be brought to a stop before an accident occurs. It will thus be seen that the signal device is entirely automatic and that both flags are operated simultaneously. Furthermore, since a plurality of weights or actuating devices are employed, a large portion of the road-bed can be thoroughly protected.

What is claimed is l. A signal apparatus for railway road-beds comprising a movable signal having an operating portion movable therewith, an element connected to the said operating portion of the signal and extending longitudinally of the track, a pair of supporting rollers arranged on two adjacent cross ties and cooperating with said operating ele ment, and a freely movable weight arranged between the ties having the rollers thereon normally supported by the road-bed and connected to actuate the operating element to move the signal to danger position when unsupported by the road-bed 2. A signal apparatus for railway roadbeds comprising a movable signal having an operating crank thereon, an operating element connected to the said crank on the signal, a pair of supporting rollers mounted on two adjacent cross ties and engaging the operating element, and a freely movable weight arranged between the ties having the rollers and normally supported by the road-bed, and serving to actuate said element to move the signal into danger position when the roadbed is in abnormal condition.

A signal apparatus for road-beds comprising a pivoted signal having an operating crank, a flexible operating element connected to the said crank and extending longitndinally of the road-bed, a pair of rollers mounted at the proximate sides of two adjacent cross ties and supporting the operating element, and a freely movable weight for producing a draft on the operating element to move the signal to danger position, the weight being normally held inoperative by the road-bed acting as a support.

4. A signal apparatus for railway road-beds comprising a visible signal pivoted to swing in a plane substantially parallel to the length of the bed, an operating element operatively connected to the signal and serving to turn the latter to danger position when the element is subjected to a tension, and a weight normally operating to produce a tension on the operating element and normally held inoperative by the road-bed acting as a support.

A signal apparatus for road-beds comprising a visual signal mounted to swing in a plane parallel to the length of the bed, a device located at a point remote from the signal and actuated by the washing away of the road-bed, and a flexible connection between the device and signal.

(3. A signal apparatus for roadbeds comprising a visual signal mounted to one side of the road-bed, a crank shaft supporting the signal, a weight normally resting on the road-bed and actuated by a washout thereof, a flexible element connected to the crank shaft and adapted to be actn ated by the weight to positively move the signal to danger position, and rollers for supporting the flexible element.

7. A signal apparatus for road-beds comprising a plurality of signal devices located at suitably distant points, a flexible element connected with the devices, and a plurality of members distributed between the signal devices and connected with the flexible element for operating through the latter to actuate the signal devices in case of a washout of the road-bed.

S. A signal apparatus for r0adbeds comprising a plir rality of signals located at suitably distant points, crank shafts on which the signals are mounted, a flexible element connecting the crank shafts, and a device connected with the said element and nor'mally resting on the road-bed for producing a draft on the element in case the device is undermined by a washout.

9. A signal apparatus for road-beds comprising a plurality of signals located at suitably remote points, pivotally mounted structures on which the signals are 1nounted a flexible element connected at its ends with the structures. and a plurality of devices distributed along the road-bed and connected with the element for singlyor collectively actuating the latter in case of a washout of the road-bed.

10. A signal apparatus for road-beds comprising an actunting device normally resting upon and held inoperative by the road-bed when the latter is in normal condition, signal-devices arranged at opposite sides of the said device and having operating cranks thereon arranged to turn in planes parallel to the track, and an operating element extending longitudinally of the track and connected to the operating (ranks of the signal, the operating element cooperating with the actuating device when the latter is unsupported by the road-bed to move the signals into danger position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses JESSE LEVIS \VALDREP.

Witnesses P. I. \VILSON, J. FRANK POWELL, 

